Conveyer system for spoolers and the like



Oct. 21, 1952 SHANE), JR

CONVEYER SYSTEM FOR SPOOLERS AND THE LIKE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 1, 1950 GwsM-WESMAN JQ ATTORNEYS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 dwsbew E. .Slun/zv/g,

- INVENT OR ATTORNEYS G. E. SHAND, JR

CONVEYER SYSTEM FOR SPOOLERS AND THE LIKE Oct. 21, 1952 Filed Sept. 1, 1950 Get. 21, 1952 SHAND, JR 2,614,682

CONVEYER SYSTEM FOR SPOOLERS AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 1, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 61x05 5//4A/P,L/P/

INVENTOR T JWM ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 21, 1952 U ITED PA ENT OFFICE CONVE'YERI'SYSTEM roa'sroomns .AN-DTHELIKE Gadsden E. Shand, Jr., Columbia," SIC.

Application:September. 1, 1950, Scrial'No.t182,823 i ,This invention relates toimprovements in con-H veyorsystems and more especially toan improved 'f 7 Claims. (01. 198-60) conveyor system fOIJtBXtilB machinery;-'such;as I

' spoolers-;and-:thevlike., p 1

,It is 'well known, to those-iamiliar :with the art,

that th'eplacing of filled bobbins -or -.quills,on the g spindles or-creels of textile machines: such 'as spoolers and the like is, at best,-acostly andbacke breaking; task for an operator; Particularly wherein'spoolersare concerned, the spoolers :have been'provided with bins extending longitudinally I thereof adjacent which hand trucks containing thefilled bobbins were usually positioned; and-the contents thereof dumpedlinto the-bin, the; quills or bobbins then being selectedmby the operator..-

and placed -on,the spindlesprovidedtherefor on= the-sp'oolen:

' It is evidentthat this-would requireiconsiderable handling, of the iilledebobbins or quills and I in :theaieventofone 'of-wthe bins adjacent the spooler being emptied; it wouldv be necessary-forthe :operatorto select thexfilled bobbins from an adj acent, bin thus delaying the donning, or spine dle-loading operation asit iscarried :out over a considerable period.

It.-is therefore the primary object mm inventionto overcome such defects through the medium of ,acontinuously or intermittently driven v conveyor which :encircles the spooler andcis -pro'-, videdin lieuof the usual him at opposed sidesof sthermachine and, tosfurth'er provide means for automatically; feeding theafilled bobbins to the continuously-moving conveyor thus insuring that an ample supplyof filledbobbins may always 1 be available .to an operator-thus requiring amini munrof handling of the filled bobbinsn, Thepresenti'apparatus eliminates theinecessity of positioningtrucks 1 adjacent 1 the spoolers for dump ing the filled bobbins fromthe truck into the-bins of the spoolers thus permitting thespoolers to be positioned more closely together than hasheretofore been practicable, resulting in an additional savinginfloor space. I

It is ranotheryobject of this invention to provide an improved conveyor for spoolers and the likercomprising an endless trackway which en- CiICIESQt-hQzSDQOlGl' and in which an endless conveyor chainis mounted; there being suitable variablerspeed control means for imparting movement to the conveyor chain and this conveyor chain being provided with a plurality of spaced rigid substantially U-shaped trough supporting members each having a pair of transversely spaced uprising prongs thereon for: supporting; an endless trough of flexible material such, as-clothorrubber, the bottom of the trough. being supported on the. portions of said. supports .extendingzbetweenthe uprising portionsv thereof and the-side wall portions; of the trough being 'providedwith. a plurality of pockets into'which theprongs-are inserted .to thusinsure that the conveyortroughwill move in fixed relation tothetrough support members.

Some of the objects of the invention-havingbeen stated, other objects will appear as -.the-,descrip.- tion proceeds When taken in connection with I .the accompanying drawings in which- 'Figureltis atop plan EViBW of= the rimproved conveyorsystemshowing athopper in association therewithfor feeding a-ssupplyof bobbins there-1 to and showing the; outline of-a spooler,- or the:

like, in phantom-lines;

Figure 2 is a-'.side "elevation-ofthe improved conveyor system looking up at the lower side of Figure l, with! many-parts shown schematically;

Figure 3 is;a vertical sectional yiew-taken'sub stantially alongthe-line: 3,- -in Figure 2;-

Figure 4 ,is 'an enlarged fragmentarygsectional 'planview taken: substantiallyialongrthe line 4-4 in Figure 2, and:- showing the pockets formed at opposed sides of the trough. which areprovided for reception of the uprising prongs .onthe trough v support members;

Figure 5 is-an. enlarged fragmentary elevation, of the driving-means for -the conveyorwith parts broken away and looking-substantially along the line '5-5 in- Figure 1; I

Figure 6 is an enlargedvverticalsectional View taken substantially-along the 'line 6-6'.-in Figure 2;

the numeral 10 designates an elongated textile machine, such, as a spooler orthelike, andthis spooler l0 is shown. as being. circumscribed ,by an improved conveyor systembroadly designated at y l l The conveyor ,system' includes a substan= tially tubular conveyor .or-etrolleytrack broadly designated at l2 which is preferably of boxshaped cross-section, as best shown in Figure 6, comprising a bottom wall 13, vertical side walls l4 and inwardly extending top walls or flanges E5. The latter serve as load supporting runways on opposed sides of a centrally disposed slot 58, defined by the flanges [5, which extends longitudinally of the top of the track i2, This.

track [2 may be considered as endless except its continuity is interrupted for the driving means for imparting movement to the chain, to be later described, which is adapted to move along said track.

In order to provide for the'driving means, to I be presently described, a special section of track, designated at I2 (Figure 5) is interposed in the track l2, this special section corresponding to the standard section l2 except that a relatively long opening defined by the lower edges ll of the side walls M of the special section of the I track l2, these walls 14" being identical to the 7 walls [4 of the track shown in Figurev 6 (Figure 9). section of track l2 to provide the, necessary opening for the driving means to pass along in the medium of a transverse angle bar 22 welded to the upper end of each'of the legs 2! and being welded to the lower wall 13 of the track l2. The conveyor chain, broadly designated at 25, ismade up of alternating series of identical links 26 and identical connecting links 21, this conveyor chain being of a type substantially as shown in a patent to P. M. Hassler, No. 2,309,587 of January 26, 1943. Each of the, alternating links 26 is' provided with a pair of laterally spaced verticalwheels or rollers 30 which areof slightly less diameter than the distance between the bottom wall i3 and the flanges l5 of the trolley track I2 and which normally ride upon the bottom wall [3 although, at times, they may ride in engagement with the lower surfaces of the flanges [5 due to the torque caused in the supports, to be later described.

The rollers or wheels 30 associated with each of the alternating links 26 are fixed on opposed track 12 but greater than the overall width of the alternating links 26, so that this horizontal wheel is adapted to have rolling contact with the side walls I4 of the track l2 and prevents contact of the vertically wheeled links 26 with said side walls.

Each of the alternating links 26 also has a transverse attachmentor fastener pin 34 mounted therein and disposed above and in spaced relation to the axle 3! of the wheels 3B,.by which means the trough support members, to be later described, are connected to the conveyor chain 25.

This opening I! is provided in the special 4 Any desired driving means may be provided for imparting movement to the conveyor chain 25, the particular type of driving means shown in Figures 1, 2 and 5 being substantially the same as that shown in said Patent No. 2,309,587. There are many types of variable speed transmissions which may be employed in association with the driving unit, to be presently described, such as a type manufactured by Reeves Pulley Company,

Columbus, Indiana or a so-called Master Speedranger manufactured by the Master Electric Company, Dayton, Ohio. The particular type of variable speed transmission shown in Figures 2 and-5 is of the type manufactured by the Master Electric Company and includes an electric motor 3! which drives a variable speed transmission 38, both the electric motor 31 and the variable speed transmission 38 being suitably secured to the lower surface of a horizontally disposed drive unit support plate 39 which is substantially rectangular and is supported on legs 45 which rest on the floorF. The electric motor 31 transmit rotation, through the reduction gear or variable speed mechanism 38, to a sprocket wheel 4l' which transmits rotation, by a sprocket chain 42,

to a larger sprocket wheel 43 mounted on a transversely'extending drive shaft 44 disposed at one end of the mechanism.

Secured to this drive shaft 44 are two laterally spaced driving sprockets 45 over which pass suitable driving chains 46. These driving chains 43 are endless and also pass around two idler sprockets 41 mounted on a transverse shaft 48 disposed at the other end of the driving mechanism. To provide for taking up any undesirable slack in thedriving chain 46, the shaft 48 is mounted in bearings 49 which are adapted to be moved horizontally between the upper and lower ways 5! of a guide frame member 52 at each end of the shaft 48, the guide frame 52 being suitably secured, as by bolts 53, to the lower surface'of' the plate 35. An adjusting screw 54 functions as an support one end of each of the dogs 61, the dogs 6| each having a pair of rollers 63 rotatably mounted thereon and projecting from opposed sides of the dogs 6|. 7 These rollers 63 are normally supported by the flanges 51 when the dogs are moving in the plane of the lower reaches of the chainsMi.

Referring again to Figures 5 and 9, there will be observed a driving dog guide plate 64 which rests upon the upper surface of the driving unit support plate 39 and opposed ends'of which are provided with inclined portions 54a, 64?), there being suitable openings, not shown in the present drawings but clearly shown in said Patent No. 2,309,582, into which the inclined portions 64a, 64b of the plate (it project and also through which the. driving chains 46} and the sprocket wheels 65 and ll project and also through which the dogs El move as the chains 4% move in a clockwise direction in Figure .5.

The inclined portions 5 5a and $4!) of the drive track 64'function as-a receding cam or track surface which determines the point at which the driving dogs are engaged and release their driving engagement with the conveyor chain 25, the dogs being adapted to move into position between the side plates of the alternating links 26 and into engagement with the axle 3| of the corresponding rollers or wheels 30 for propelling the conveyor chain 25 from left to right in Figure 5'. Thus, a variable speed drive means is provided for effecting movement, continuously or intermittently, of the conveyor chain 25 .along the trolly track I2 provided therefor. Since the structure of the driving mechanism is clearly shown and described in said Patent No. 2,309,587,

a further detailed description thereof is deemed unnecessary. It will be noted that the driving mechanism shown in Figures 2 and 5 is inverted from the position in which it is shown in said patent and the trough supporting members, to be presently described, are connected to the conveyor chain by means of an attachment pin identical to the pin to which the attachment member 53 of said patent is connected to its corresponding conveyor chain and it is with a conveyor chain and a driving mechanism of the type heretofore described that the present invention is particularly adapted to be associated although it need not be restricted to this particular type of chain or driving mechanism.

The forked or U-shaped trough supportmembers are each broadly designated at 10 and each includes a pair of spaced uprising prongs or arms H and 12, which are bent inwardly towards each other at their lower portions to form horizontal portions I3, the portions I3 being welded links 15 and 1-6 to the position shown in Figure 7, will be disposed in coinciding relationship with each other and which .are provided for the reception of an axle in the form of a bolt "89 on which a pair of rollers or wheels 90 and 9| are rotatably mounted.

These wheels 90' and 9I are disposed adjacent the remote sides .of the links 15 and I6 when they are in assembled position, as shown in Figure 6, and are adapted to ride upon the flanges II 5 of the track I2. It is preferred that the rollers or wheels 30, 33, 90 and 9| be provided in the form of anti-friction or ball bearings, in which instance, the inner races thereof would be fixed on the corresponding axles. However, it is to be understood that any desired type of wheel or roller may be employed in the capacity of the rollers 30, 33, 90 and 9I.

The trough support members 10 support an endless substantially U-shaped flexible trough broadly designated at 95 and which may be made of a fabric, a synthetic material or rubber as desired. This flexible trough 95 is preferably preformed to include a bottom 96, inner and outer side walls 91 and 98 respectively, these side walls being termed as inner and outer side walls with respect to the machine I0 which the improved conveyor system II encircles.

Referring to Figure 6, it will be observed that the side walls 9'! and 98 of the trough 95 extend upwardly from the bottom 96 and are turned outwardly and downwardly upon themselves to form down-turned overlappin portions I00 and IOI on the respective walls 9'! and 98. The portions of the overlapping down-turned portions I00 and IN of the walls 9'! and 98 disposed between the uprising arms or prongs I2 and II downwardly as at Id, these portions I4 being removable secured to the upper ends of a pair of links I5 and 16 by any suitable means such as a bolt I ia. except being turned opposite hand relative to each other and these links are provided with respective notches I1 and I8 defining respective hook portions BI and 82, these notches 11 being disposed at the proximate edges of the links 15 and I6 when they are swung apart from each other at their lower ends as shown in Figure 8.

The links I5 and I6 also have respective projections 83 and 84 on the lower ends thereof, The notches TI and 19 extend inwardly and upwardly at an angle relative to the axes of the links 75 and I6 so that when the links 15 and '16 are moved into closed position, as shown in Figure '7, the notches IT and 18 may engage the fastening pin 34 provided therefor in association with each of the alternating links 26 and the projections 83 and 84 at the lower ends of the links 15 and 16 will engage opposed sides of the axle 3|. After the links 15 and 16 have been swung inwardly to occupy the position shown in Figure 7, the bolt Ma is tightened tosecure the links I5 and I6 in a rigid position in engagement with the pin 34 and to also hold the upstanding arms H and 12 of the top support member I0 in a fixed vertical position relative to the links I5 and I6.

In order to insure that the links 15 and I6 and the arms II and 12 of the trough support mem: bers 10 may retain a substantiallyvertical position as they are moved along the track I2 by the conveyor chain 26 and, also, to assist in supporting the weight of the members I0. and the trough, to be later described, and its contents, the links 15 and I6 are provided with respective bores 81 and 88 which, upon swinging the These links I5 and 16 are identical respectively of adjacent supports 10 are adhesively or otherwise secured to the outer surfaces of the corresponding walls 91 and 98 to form pockets I02 at each side of the trough 95 which are adapted to loosely receive the upper ends of the uprising arms or prongs II and I2. It is evident that, in the event of the trough 95 being made of a fabric of similar material, the overlapping portions I00 and IOI 0f the respective walls 91 and 98 may be suitably stitched to form the pockets I02 heretofore described.

It is thus seen that, upon movement of the conveyor chain 25, from left to right in Figures 2 and '7, the trough supporting members 10 will move in unison therewith and the pockets I02 in the side walls of the trough 95 will also cause the trough 95 to move in fixed relation to the prongs or arms II and 12 of the trough support members 10.

In the event of the trough 95 being made of a flexible non-resilient material, such as fabric or the like, it is evident that a certain amount of slack must be provided in the side walls thereof between adjacent trough support members 10, and the slack in the outer wall 98 will be taken v up, as shown in Figure 1, as the cloth 95 moves through the arc shown adjacent opposed ends of the textile machine I0. 7 1

On the other hand, if the trough 95 is made of a resilient material such as rubber, there need not necessarily be any slack in the side walls 91 and 98 between adjacent trough support members 10 because the outer wall 98 may stretch as it bobbin-s or quills from a single point and, in order to insure that the rate rate of supply of bobbins to the trough 95 may be in accordance with the speed at which the trough 95 is moved and, in turn, in accordance with the speed. at which the bobbins are removed from the trough 95 and placed on the spindles of the machine I 0, I- have provided a hopper broadly designated at I (Figures 1, 2, and 3), which is open topped and includes side walls I06, I07, end walls I98, H19 and an inclined bottom III), the bottom H0 preferably beingrnade of a light sheet meta1 or other flexible material.

A suitable vibrator III is suitably secured to the lower surface of said bottom [Ill of the hopper I05. Any desired type of vibrator may be employed in the capacity of the vibrator III for vibrating the bottom iii] of the hopper Hi5, a

suggested type of vibrator being an electricalmagnetic vibrator of a type shown and described in a United States Patent to G. D. Aldord, No. 2,180,189 of November 14, 1939. The hopper I95 may be supported on suitable standards I IS, the lower ends of which rest on the floor F and the upper ends of which are suitably secured, as by screws H4, to the lower surfaceof the bottom H0 of the hopper 85. The front wall I09 of the hopper I05 is provided with a discharge opening H5 therein through which filled quills or bobbins l I! may be discharged, the bobbins being dumped into the hopper I05 from the usual trucks used in the textile industry. Suitably secured, as by Welding, to the exterior surface of the front wall IE9 of the hopper N is an inclined tapered tubular chute lZli which isprovided to direct the bobbins Ill, which move along the chute I by gravity, to the opened top of the trough 95, the vibrator III and the opening H5 in the front wall I89 of the hopper I05 serving to regulate the flow of the bobbins down the chute I26 and into the trough 95.

It is thus seen that I have provided an improved conveyor system, particularly for use in association with textile machines of a type .onto which bobbins are to be placed by operators, and which may be moved continuously or intermittently around the machine and to which a continuous supply of filled bobbins maybe directed in accordance with the speed at which the bobbins are used from the conveyor.

It might be stated that most spoolers doff empty quill or bobbins automatically and are provided with conventional conveyor means for conveying the bobbins away from the spooler.

In the drawings and specification, there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

Iclaim;

1. A conveyor system for textile machinery such as spoolers and the like, comprising an endless stationary track encircling said. machine and provided with an endless slot, endless movable means disposed below said slot, means for driving the endless movable means, a plurality of horizontally spaced upstanding rigid trough support members extending through said slot and connected to said movable means at the lower ends thereof and having rollers thereon disposed above said track for rolling upon said track to support said trough support members, an endless flexible trough carried by said trough support members and having a plurality of pockets at opposed sides thereof, said trough support members each having at least one upstanding prong thereon and the upper ends of said prongs extending into the corresponding pockets on said trough whereby said trough may move in unison with the movable means in said track.

2. A conveyor system for textile machinery, such as spoolers and the like, comprising an endless horizontally disposed tubular track encircling said machine and provided with an endless slot, endless movable means disposed Within said track, means for driving the endless movable means, a plurality of horizontally spaced upstanding rigid trough support members each having a downwardly projecting leg extending through said slot and connected to said movable means at the lower end thereof and having rollers thereon disposed above the track for rolling upon said trackto support said trough support members, an endless flexible trough carried by said trough support members and having a plurality of pockets at opposed sides thereof, said trough support members each having at least one upstanding prong thereon and the upper ends of each of said prongs extending into the corresponding pockets on said trough whereby said trough may move in unison with the movable means in said track, said trough extending in a slack manner between adjacent trough support members so as to permit the trough to pass through an arc of relatively short radius.

3. A conveyor system for textile machinery, such as spoolers and the like, comprising an endless tubular track encircling said machine and provided with an endless slot, endless movable means disposed within said track, means for driving the endless movable means, a plurality of upstanding rigid trough support members each having a downwardly projecting leg connected to said movable means at the lower end thereof and having rollers thereon disposed above the track, one on each side'of the slot for rolling upon said track to support said trough support members, an endless trough made of a flexible material mounted on said trough support members and havin a plurality of pockets at opposed sides thereof, said trough support members each having at least one upstanding prong thereon and the upper ends of said prongs extending into the corresponding pockets whereby said trough may move in unison with the movable means in said track, said resilient material permitting the trough-to be taut between adjacent prongs of the trough support members and permitting the outer portions thereof to pass through an arc of relatively short radius, stretching the outer wall of said trough in so doing.

A A conveyor system for textile machines on which bobbins are adapted to be manually placed in a yarn processing operation comprising an endless trough of flexible material substantially U-shaped in cross-section adapted to encircle a textile machine, a plurality of trough supporting members disposed beneath the trough and each having a piar of spaced upstandin prongs thereon, pockets on opposed sides of the trough and into which the upper portions of said prongs extend, an endless stationary tubular track disposed beneath the trough and having an endless longitudinally extending Slotln the upper edge thereof, rigid means on each ofthe trough supporting members extending through said slot in the track, a roller mounted on each side of the rigid means and resting on the upper surface of said track a continuously moving element disposed within the confines of said track and means connecting the lower ends of said rigid means to the continuously moving element in said track for supporting and imparting continuous movement to the trough supporting members and the trough.

5. A conveyor system for textile machines on which yarn filled bobbins are adapted to be manually placed comprisin an endless substantially U-shaped trough of flexible material adapted to extend through a circuitous route around the machine, means for introducing a continuous supply of filled bobbins to a given point in said trough, means for moving said trough past the said point, means supporting said trough comprising a plurality of spaced trough support members, each having at least one uprising prong thereon, a frame supporting the lower ends of the trough support members, a plurality of pockets on the outer surface of at least one of the walls of said trough and being penetrated by the corresponding prongs on the trough support members and movable means connected to the lower ends of said trough support members for imparting movement to the trough supports and the trough, the means for introducing the filled bobbins to said conveyor comprising a hopper having a chute extending therefrom to a point above the conveyor, and means for imparting vibratory movement to the hopper to cause the bobbins to move through said chute by gravity.

6. An endless conveyor comprising an endless trough of flexible material, means supportin the trough comprising a plurality of spaced trough support members, each having a pair of transversely spaced upstanding prongs thereon, pocket means on the outer surfaces of the walls of said trough and being penetrated by the prongs, a

horizontal portion extending inwardly from the lower end of each of said prongs for supporting the bottom of said trough, downwardly extending portions integral with said horizontal portions, a pair of links pivotally secured to the downwardly extending portions, an endless stationary track extending in a horizontal plane beneath the trough and being substantially tubular in cross-section and having a longitudinally extending slot therein, an endless conveyor chain mounted for movement along said trough, means for imparting movement to the conveyor chain, 50

said conveyor chain having a. plurality of spaced links thereon provided with transverse fastener pins, the lower ends of said links having notches extending from the common centers thereof outwardly with respect to each other, whereby the lower ends of said links may be spaced from each other and swung to a closed position in alinement with each other and the notches may engage the pins in the corresponding links for connecting the lower ends of the links to the fastener pins of the chain, means penetrating said links in a horizontal plane above the track for holding said links in fixed relation to each other and at least one roller rotatably mounted on said means penetrating said links and adapted to ride upon the upper surface of said track for supporting the trough support members and the trough.

7. A conveyor system for textile machine-s on which bobbins are adapted to be manually placed in a yarn processing operation comprising an endless substantially U-shaped trough, of flexible material adapted to encircle said textile machines, said trough having its side Walls turned downwardly upon themselves at their upper edges to form overlapped portions, means dividing portions into a plurality of pockets, a plurality of trough supporting members disposed beneath the trough and each having a pair of spaced upstanding prongs thereon, said prongs extending into said pockets, an endless stationary tubular track disposed beneath the trough and having a longitudinally extendin slot in the upper edge thereof, rigid means on each of the trough supporting members extending through said slots in the track, a continuously moving element disposed within the confines of said track and means connecting the lower ends of said rigid means to the continuously moving element in said track for supporting and imparting continuous movement to the trough supporting members and the trough, said rigid means having at least one roller mounted thereon above the track and adapted to roll on the upper side of the tubular track.

(F-ADSDEN E. SHAND, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 706,294 Beck Aug. 5, 1 902 781,138 Etcheverry Jan. 31, 1905 809,827 Lucas Jan. 9, 1906 

